Compare towns
Devens vs Walpole vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Bernardston has the most affordable homes ($332k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Devens | Walpole | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
26,388Highest |
2,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
49±3.2Highest 23% above MA |
| Bernardston and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Devens and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$171,500±$16k 65% above MA |
$81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
| Devens and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$687,100±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$2,205±$222Highest 25% above MA |
$1,283±$553Lowest 27% below MA |
| Walpole and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 7% below MA |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
$4,516Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #107 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | Walpole High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.